Ashley names new chief sales officer to replace departing Coppola

ARCADIA, Wis. – Ashley Furniture Inds. has named a new North American chief sales officer to replace the company’s departing President of Sales Rick Coppola.

Ashley veteran Kerry Lebensburger has been named to the newly created position for Ashley’s Primary Channel of Business in the United States and Canada.

“Kerry has vast experience with our company and has led our sales organization for many years prior to taking a role in new business development. His experience in marketing, sales education, merchandising and customer relationships will be extremely helpful as we navigate the current business landscape,” said Ashley President and CEO Todd Wanek. “Our shared commitment is to continue to improve our operations and build ‘best-inclass’ capability for our customers.”

Lebensburger joined Ashley in 1993, as a vice president of case goods, and in 1995 helped develop the company’s ventures into both the stationary and motion upholstery business. According to the company Lebensburger was instrumental in developing Ashley’s Darcy collection, which achieved sales in excess of $1 billion and the company describes as “the bestselling group in the history of upholstery manufacturing.”

In 1997, Lebensburger was named president of this new division, a position he held until 2005, when he became president of North American sales, marketing and merchandising. For the past several years, Lebensburger has served as chief revenue officer and vice president of business development where he found and developed new channels of distribution to take advantage of Ashley’s production capabilities and product line.

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